Puzzle Pieces
by doc-trigger
Summary: They were a puzzle with mismatched, bent,and missing pieces, yet somehow they made the perfect picture. K  just to be safe. Ars Amatoria's Theme Challenge
1. Album

Hey everyone, so it's been a while since I posted anything, which is totally lame of me. SO! I'm going to try and redeem myself with this fic. It's an Eric/Taylor response to the Ars Amatoria's Ranger Romance Themes challenge. I already have a few of these written, and I plan on posting them in a randomly particular order...which i hope makes sense/works lol.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, if I did the Kawasaki Ninja would be MINE! *evil laugh* *cough* anywho...

I hope you enjoy!

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Taylor Earhardt-Myers was many things, but sentimental was not one of them. At least, not until she pulled down the long unused attic staircase, carefully climbed up (because after years of remaining shut the damn thing was probably an ambulance ride waiting to happen) and found the dust covered chest. It was relatively new compared to the rest of the junk lining the walls; the sofa her grandfather had sat on every time she came to visit, the lamp that she was pretty sure was older then the house itself, and a white bird cage, now rusted and grey, were all just fragments of the memories the attic now stored. But of those memories, the only ones that held any true value were in that brown chest.

"_Its ugly!"  
"Its classic!"_

Gently, she lifted the lid and stared down at the treasures in front of her. Within seconds her face lit up as she pulled out a silver pocket watch, forever stuck at 2:57. It was followed by the removal of color squares, varying from shades of blue, pink, and of course, yellows, reds, and everything in between. As she set them to the side, her eyes caught the compass and map; the compass looked almost new, while the map had obviously seen better days, and she couldn't help the laugh that escaped at the memory. Three blankets came next, covered with the unmistakable images of the Ninja Turtles, Tiger, or Batman respectively. Taylor had almost forgotten about the medium sized trophy which had somehow retained its brilliant shine, and for the life of her, she couldn't figure out why handle pieces from a pair of crutches were in the chest as well. Then she saw it, the reason she had made the traitorous journey up the stairs.

"_That one." _

"_It's huge, why do we need one that's so big?"_

_A shrug. "Maybe we'll have something good to put in it" _

The photo album, simple and black, and yet, at the sight of something so common and plain, Taylor couldn't stop the tears of joy that glistened in her eyes. She opened the first two pages, which displayed the photos taken at the Time Force/Wild Force team up picnic. In milliseconds, her eyes found him, her book held firmly out of reach as she jumped in a fruitless effort to get it back as the rest of the team smiled happily at the camera. His smirk was unmistakable. Throughout the following photos and pages the smirk changed slowly and awkwardly until finally, on date #14 (She had to label it, it was a momentous occasion), a full fledged, honest to God smile emerged. Incidentally, that was the date where Murphy's Law of 'everything that can go wrong, will go wrong' had been proven in full force. In retaliation for the labeling, he marked the photo in which Taylor's own real smile had shown through on date #11. Then she flipped the page and an unexpected tear escaped her, but was quickly caught by a callused hand.

"That dress looked beautiful on you."

She smiled and leaned up to kiss him. "You looked quiet dashing yourself Mister Myers."

Eric let out a small grin before wrapping his wife in a hug, turning the page, and pointing at the first picture that followed those of a white gown, yellow dressed, black tuxedoes, and red ties. "That was the most amazing moment of my life."

Taylor nodded. "The first of three." She leaned back, further into his embrace.

They continued the journey, recapturing memories that had somehow escaped them and revitalizing those that never would. Her eyes lingered on the trip to the carnival, while his shone in unsuppressed delight at the first time they went to the shooting range as a family. Birthday cakes and smiling faces led into graduations, each one bookmarked with a tassel, and wedding photos that somehow meant more then their own were introduced with perfect white invitations.

"I can't believe it." She whispered as they reached the last page, still empty after all those years. Her hand slid across the unoccupied plastic sheets before being caught by his.

"We'll put something new in tomorrow." Eric replied gently in a voice which still held the gruff undercurrent that would always be a part of him.

Her smile shone brighter. "50 years."

He held her closer, his once jet black hair now more grey and white touching her golden locks turned silver blond and cut short into a bob. The hand that wasn't holding his wife's moved to close the simple black leather binding, and as he shut the album of their lives, which housed memories that pre-dated its own purchase, he turned to her with a playful grin.

"We're going to need a bigger one."

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Soo...I hope you enjoyed that, I believe this is the longest of the chapters. And if you did like it, please click that little center button and review. I'm willing to bribe with virtual cookies! Constructive criticism is always greatly appreciated as well. Thanks for reading!


	2. Lost

Thank you so more for reviewing Pink Wolf Princess and maintestreet! It means a lot to me. Also, two things I forgot to mention. 1) I do follow penguin-STRUT's 60 Phases fic, so I am doing my best to have little to no similarities. I felt like there were some in the Album theme, but I do make sure to look at her chapter's in order to not copy anything. 2) Everything found in the chest from the previous chapter will be explained, so each will have its own chapter/drabble.

Anywho, I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

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"No!"

"Just let me see it!"

"No! I've got this. If I can navigate the Animarium, I think I can handle a little hiking route. " Taylor moved forward, map and compass firmly in hand, her steps long and purposeful as she maneuvered over the rocks, muddy earth, and fallen branches. Eric, only a step behind her due to the narrow path, tried to make a grab at the map, but it was instantly thrust out of reach.

"Uuugh!" Eric was quickly loosing interest and patience with both this discussion and the situation. It had been going on for over an hour, and what had at first started out as joking complaints had now turned into a desperate attempt to suppress his frustration before he sucker punched a tree.

"Stop whining, we're going the right way."

His next words were forcibly ground out between gritted teeth. "Taylor, we passed that bush three times. Just let me see the map."

"You don't need to see it because I knew exactly where we are." She sighed in exasperation as she took another glance at the map, stopped for barely a second, and turned left and up a hill.

Eric's eyes widened when he saw where she was headed. "That's not even a trail!" Under normal circumstances that wouldn't have been a problem, but by now he'd had enough of this whole experience and just wanted to get the hell out of there.

"Yes it is. It's right here on the map." Taylor smirked at this flawless logic as she waved said map in the air and hopped over a log.

"Look, I'm a trained navigator…" His sentence was cut off when Taylor turned and glared.

"Yea? Well I'm a trained fighter pilot!" Without another word, or an attempt at an explanation, she swiveled back around on her toes and marched onward.

Eric groaned loader. "What does that even have to do with anything!" He took a moment to stop and think before following his girlfriend. "Ok, at least let me see the compass."

Not bothering to wait for him, Taylor threw back a slightly annoyed "Why?" over he shoulder.

"Because we entered on the south trail, so I could use the compass to see which way north is and that'll get us back to where we started." Why she wouldn't just give in and simply let him look at the damn thing was beyond him…until he thought about it and realized that, roles reversed, by now he would have torn the map in four and claimed he didn't need it at all.

Taylor, ignoring the fact that Eric was currently unmoving and silently cussing up a storm so large Noah's arc had no hope of surviving, glanced at the compass, then at the map, back at the compass, and nearly tripped over a rock as she exited the dense forest. "Crap."

Eric, still a few steps behind, called up. "What?"

Taylor pointed to a green metal sign informing all passing by that they were currently on Highway 203 and it would be two and a half miles until the next off ramp which joined Route 85. "We're lost."


	3. Knight

I was planning on uploading every Saturday, but yesterday I was busy moving into my apartment for college, so...I hope you enjoy it even more now that its been delayed...even though you probably didn't notice lol. And that you Pink Wolf Princess and penguin-STRUT for reviewing! I also just noticed I haven't been titling which theme I'm doing, soo...personal fail.

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The dreams that made her jump awake had nothing to do with brightly colored spandex and orgs, and the nightmares that left him in a cold sweat had never once involved laser fire and mutants. Those special night terrors were reserved for memories that never seemed to die. She would re-live the moment her brother's fighter plane crashed from the sky no more then 15 feet away from her own jet. His thoughts manipulated themselves, combining the images of his father holding a shotgun with those of his soldiers dying in his arms from 'friendly fire'.

These were rare occasions, only coming around death anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, or major news from the war that sounded a just little too familiar. When they did occur, each had a simple solution. Taylor would drive to the airbase as speeds too high for her own good and stand outside the gates until she broke down crying, collected herself, and drove back home in time for the sun to rise. Eric went for the carefully concealed Jack Daniels that hid nicely on top of the fridge and behind the paper towels, drank himself into a stupor, and showed up to work the next day angrier then ever.

They had each tried their own methods when the events assaulted their sleep the first time it had happened when they were together, and the other simply wouldn't let them. Those were the nights where neither got a wink of sleep, and neither would complain about it. Those were the nights they held each other until the tears had stopped and the shaking had subsided. Those were the nights where appearing weak was never an issue. So on those nights and early morning, while neither of them was a damsel in distress, they could be each other's knights.


	4. Color

ENJOY!

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"Alyssa suggested Brink Pink if it's a girl, or Glaucous if it's a boy." Taylor said as she flipped through color swatches.

Eric looked at Taylor as if she'd just told him charcoal was an edible food group. "What and a what!" His hands hovered over a laptop as he tried to figure out exactly what his wife had just said.

Taylor shrugged before grinning triumphantly. "I found Iceberg!"

Now even more confused, Eric leaned over to look at the newly discovered color. "I thought you were looking for glucose"

"Glaucous."

"Whatever. What happened to simple colors…like blue, or red?"

Now it was Taylor's turn to look at Eric like he'd just broken out of the loony bin. "Red? You want to paint our child's room red?"

Shrugging, Eric grabbed the color squares and flipped to the reds. "I don't see why not. Why? You want to paint it yellow?"

"What's wrong with yellow? I personally like this one." She said while pointing at a color labeled Mikado Yellow. Eric frowned and shook his head. Seeing this, Taylor continued, "Well, its better then Max's suggestion of Canary Yellow." This too was accompanied with a color swatch as proof.

"It's like looking at the sun. The poor kid's eyes will burn out." Eric grunted, obviously displeased.

Taylor nodded in agreement. "Anyway, Danny suggested Apricot."

Eric quirked an eyebrow, "Apricot is a fruit, not a color."

"Tell that to the people who name colors." She stopped for a moment. "Daffodil?"

"That's another yellow…and it's a flower. How about, um…American Rose."

"That's a red…and also a flower."

Eric scrunched up his face in thought while Taylor continued to glance at a row of blues fading into some shade of it called Beau Blue. Giving up on that particular swatch, she picked up the next one from the messy pile that had spilled out from the organized stack they had originally gotten the color squares in.

Almost instantly, the couple looked at each other, simultaneous light bulbs going off in their minds. "It's gender neutral." She commented.

"It's ranger neutral." He added with a smirk.

They looked back down. "It's perfect."

Shades of orange ranged form nearly red to just a hint away from yellow. Almost as if mother's intuition was kicking in early, Taylor's eyes seemed to glue themselves to one color in particular. "Cadmium Orange." She stated proudly. All Eric needed was one glance to nod in agreement as he took the line of colors from her hand and lay it down on the table before moving to clean up the rest of the squares.

"What the hell?" Eric picked up one of the pink swatches and turned it towards Taylor, his face portraying complete and utter befuddlement. "Since when is Awesome a color?"

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Yes...those were all real colors, strangely. If you liked it, please make sure to leave a review, as I'm a starving college students who has very little to look forward to.


	5. The Call

This was written because there is nothing better then Eric having a panic attack...And thanks for reviewing! You guys keep me motivated, so I hope you enjoy.

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He wasn't expecting the call for another week, so he was busy yelling at new recruits about the importance of focus and accuracy while shooting at a target when it came. He was pretty sure his heart stopped, flipped upside-down, and starting tap dancing in his chest.

"What?" Eric was frozen, literally incapable of motion. "I…it…week." Obviously, as some of the cadets noticed, speech was not faring any better then movement. The recruits stood confused, sharing glances and shrugs for several seconds before Eric moved and they jumped in surprise, as the action of mobility had somehow dragged back with it vocal cords. "HOLY SHIT!" Practically exploded out of their commander as he forgot about his job and ran out of the room.

At any other time he would have heard one of the young men lean over and mutter to a few others. "Focus my ass."

But now, he was fumbling with his phone which he still hadn't realized was no longer connected to another person, while trying desperately to find the keys to his car. They should have been in his right pocket! That's where he had shoved them his morning! His inability to find the keys was quickly and surely sending him into a panic attack, and if it had gone on a few more seconds, his heart would have exploded. Luckily, Wes had been informed of Eric's untimely leave from training and had rushed out to find him, his own set of car keys in hand.

So, while Eric was busy searching his pockets in the middle of the hall, Wes grabbed his arm as he walked by and pulled his now mindless co-commander behind him and to the line of cars outside. Under normal circumstances, Wes would have gotten his head knocked off, but with Eric incapable of finding the car keys that really were in his right pocket, Wes was secure in his safety. The ride to the hospital was fast, but not fast enough for either of them. Eric was still in a frenzy of worry and excitement, and Wes was trying to ignore the other man's constant mantra of "Hurry the Hell up!"

Everything in between the moment Eric foot was out of the jeep till a good three hours later was a blur of running through hospital halls, holding Taylor's hand as she pushed, nearly passing out…twice…and finally, in crystal clear clarity, the unmistakable cry of a baby. The couple waited anxiously, both praying their child was healthy, while at the same time curious beyond words. The doctor, who had taken a moment to look over the newborn, turned and proudly announced, "It's a boy." To which Taylor smiled tiredly up at Eric, who in turn was trying to see past the nurses in order to count ten fingers and ten toes. "A beautiful, healthy baby boy. With all digits intact." He assured Eric with a chuckle, who looked about ready to tackle his nurses out of the way.

In moments, their son…their first child…was passed to Taylor, who, red faced and with hair plastered to her forehead, Eric was sure he had never seen look more beautiful then when she held him.

"What's the name?" The doctor asked, chart in hand.

The new parents looked at each other, and at Eric's nod, Taylor answered. "We're naming him after my brother, Steven."

Eric, his eyes glistening with pride as he watched his son fall asleep in his wife's arms, reached down to touch him for the first time. "Hi Steven."

It was the best call he had ever received.


	6. Dependence

Hey everyone, time for the next chapter. Thank you Pink Wolf Princess for your continuous reviewing, it means a lot to me. I have to say, as far as reviews go, it honestly makes me a little sad. I understand that you wont all like every chapter, but I put a lot of effort into writing these, and it hurts that nobody reviews. I don't mean to complain, because I'm happy just knowing people actually read my work, but it just makes it hard to be motivated to continue with the story when it seems as though there's only one person who cares if I do in fact continue.

Sorry for the ramble guys, but I guess I just needed to let you know how I feel. I won't be holding the story for review ransom, but said reviews would be very, very appreciated. Thanks for sticking through that, and on with the drabble!

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Taylor was awakened by a knock on her door, which she tried to respond to by forcibly de-cocooning herself from the blankets that she had managed to get completely tangled in. Luckily, before she could get her aching body out of bed, Eric quietly opened the door to her room, plastic bags in hand. He took one look at her and smirked.

"Nice look."

Taylor attempted the best glare possible while hindered by a red runny nose, hair sticking out in every direction but down, and baggy eyes. "Shut up." She sniffled, her nose stuffy and voice still raspy from spending half the night up coughing.

Eric's smirk faded into a gentle smile as he held up the bags as a sign of peace. "I brought chicken soup."

Taylor merely grunted in response before falling back into bed, and in minutes was falling asleep to the smell and sound of soup being cooked. But not before Eric replaced the now empty box of tissues and smoothly readjusted her blankets, which Taylor couldn't help hiding a smile over.

Dependence on other people was not something Taylor was used to, or even liked. She was self-sufficient, independent, and proud of it. So as she drifted off, the sizzling of broth holding promises of a meal her stomach could handle, Taylor was surprised to find herself thinking that maybe Eric was somebody she could, at least occasionally, be dependent on.


	7. Quest

This one is, if not my favorite, very high up there, as I experienced the very same thing last year, and was equally as stubborn. Thank you for all the reviews...even if I did sort of force/beg for them haha. So I hope you enjoy!

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"This isn't exactly a one man quest for the Holy Grail." Taylor stated, arms crossed and foot tapping, her thoughts tight-rope walking the apparently thin line between being annoyed and finding the situation hilarious.

"I know that." Eric grunted out, crutches secured firmly under his arms as he valiantly tried, once more, to open the front door to his house.

"I could help you." Taylor suggested, her hand already curled around the handle.

"No! I can do this." He leaned forward hazardously, casted foot rising higher off the ground as he tilted and Taylor imagined all the ways this was bound to go wrong. Just before his hand grabbed a hold of the door, he knew he had reached the furthest angle he could possibly go before he became best friends with the ground, so he stopped and straightened back up. His frown increased as he glared daggers at the offending door, trying with all his might to pull a Jedi mind trick and open it.

Taylor sighed and rolled her eyes. "Eric really, it's not a big deal, you're still adjusting." She was trying to be nice, since it was her fault he had broken his leg in the first place. But to be fair, who knew that jackets…and other articles of clothing…could substitute as a slip-n-slide?

Giving up on psychically opening the door, he crutched himself forward another step, managed to grab the handle, turn, and pull it open. Grinning triumphantly, he looked between the open door and Taylor. "See! I told you I could do it." Eric stated smugly, overly pleased with this accomplishment.

"Uh huh…so how do you plan on getting inside?" At this question, Eric came to the sad conclusion that he was standing on the wrong side of the door, and at that angle, there was no way he could keep it open by himself and get into the house. Having seen enough and deciding that she'd come out and help if he still hadn't made it inside in an hour, Taylor slipped through the entry way right before Eric released his grip and let the door slam shut.

He stood completely still for a few minutes, assessing the situation. There had to be some way into his own home. They wouldn't let people move around on their own with crutches if they couldn't enter or exit places, would they? It was a safety hazard, of course they wouldn't. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the knob once more.

It might not be the most epic, or even meaningful, of quests, but he WAS going to find a way to open and get through that damn door.


	8. Song

Sorry this is a day late, but I wasn't home yesterday so...yeeaa...but I hope the cuteness factor in the chapter will make up for the delay. Thank you Pink Wolf Princess, talkstoangels77, and penguin-STRUT for reviewing! Enjoy!

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He had been trying to get Emily to take her nap for over half an hour now, and was getting absolutely no where. Not even a year old and she was already as energetic as both of her brothers combined. Eric had even tried singing 'Hush Little Baby', as it had always worked on Aiden, but it was obviously now useless.

"She doesn't like that song." Spoke up Steven, his six-year old son who had thus far been watching a Batman cartoon.

Eric glanced between his oldest and youngest children, wondering how he knew that. "Oh yeah? What does she like?" He asked, leaning over to pick up Steven.

"Mommy sings 'Rock-a-by'." Steven informed his father, his black bowl cut hair falling into his eyes. _His mother's eyes,_ Eric noted for possibly the millionth time since the kid was born. "Aiden likes to sing it too."

Eric smiled and turned to his four-year old son, currently busy playing with some Ninja Turtle action figures. He put Steven on a chair so he could see into his little sister's crib before moving to pick up Aiden. "Hey buddy!" Eric greeted, tossing the toddler gently into the air, which earned him a squeal of delight. "Want to help Emmy go to sleep?"

Aiden, definitely the quietest of his children, nodded in excitement. His own mop of dirty blond hair, although cut shorter then his older brother's, was still quiet a mess and managed to hit his father in the face. Eric chuckled as he held the young boy close to the crib, where Emily was clinging to her Tiger blankie while simultaneously trying desperately to reach the toys hanging over her head. He leaned over and smoothed away some of her brunette locks, not for the first time enjoying how much she looked like her mother.

"Alright guys, you ready for the best lullaby ever?" Eric asked, a large grin planted on his face as he held Aiden with one arm and rested his other hand on Steven's shoulder. His boys nodded. "Ok, one…two…three."

Eric's deep voice was gentle as he allowed the boys to dominate the song. He watched Emily's eyes finally starting to drift closed and his smile brightened. "Keep going, its working."

"Rock-a-bye baby, in the tree top  
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock…"

Taylor stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame with her arm's crossed and a warm smile brightening her face as she watched her boys singing. It might just be a little children's song, but she was sure nothing could have sounded better.


	9. Smile

Yay, a new chapter! Thank you Pink Wolf Princess, talkstoangels77, Ghostwriter, and mainstreet for the wonderful reviews, they made my day.

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Eric was late. Why was he late? Because it was raining. Not only was it raining, but he had gotten a flat tire. And to top it all off, he had no reception so he couldn't even call and tell her. What were the odds? He felt like he was in the middle of a bad sitcom.

Grunting, Eric stood up, the replacement tire firmly screwed in and ready. Taylor was going to kill him, he just knew it. As he got into the dry interior of his car, Eric glanced at the clock, noting he was already 45 minutes late. _Wonderful. _

When he finally reached the restaurant, the NICE restaurant, which he had booked a table for a month in advance, she had been waiting for over an hour and was most definitely not in a good mood. Handing his keys over to the valet, Eric made his way over, the most pitiful and apologetic look he could muster planted in his face. It was quiet a feet, considering he had never looked either. Lucky for him, she was too hungry to argue and quickly stomped on ahead into the restaurant to get their table.

The meal was something straight out of a slapstick comedy act. First, Eric excused himself to try and dry off a little in the bathroom, which resulted in accidentally bumping into a waiter. Fortunately, he also managed to catch the empty handed waiter before he tumbled to the ground. A quick apology later, and he was on his way. The trip was relatively uneventful…not including the fact that the place had somehow run out of paper towels. It didn't take long for them to order, and in less then twenty minutes, there was red wine all over Taylor's yellow dress, escargot in Eric's hair, and a very petrified waiter. At least the meal was free.

By the end of all of this, Eric was fuming and Taylor looked about ready to stab anybody who even thought of attempting contact using the heal of her shoe which had broken somewhere along the line. Yet somehow, they both knew it wasn't quiet over. And they were right, as the valet came to regrettably inform them that the spare to Eric's car had gone flat, which only made Taylor regret having Alyssa drive her all the more. It took 25 minutes for the tow truck to arrive, by which time the couple wasn't even talking to each other any more, making the ride to his place awkward for everybody involved.

Upon reaching the house, Eric paid for the tow while Taylor went in and started changing. When both were finished, clean, and sitting quietly on the coach, Eric grabbed her hand and started walking towards the door.

"Screw this." He muttered.

"What the Hell Eric!" She tried to tug her hand out of his grasp, but to no avail, and within minutes they were walking towards their favorite bar. Once seated in a booth, her hand still in his, the conversation finally started. She laughed at the little green flecks of parsley that had taken him forever to get out of his hair, and he busted up about how he hadn't known it was possible to break a shoe while sitting.

Holding up his beer, Eric offered a solute, "To the best date ever." He laughed as they clinked bottles, after which, in the most un-Taylor-like move he had ever seen, she produced a camera. Waving over a waitress, Taylor had her snap a quick photo.

"What was that for?" He asked, still grinning from ear to ear.

Without offering an answer, she slipped the camera into her pocket. He might not realize it, but she knew she would remember this date, because despite everything; every mishap and problem they had faced today, this was the first day he had produced a genuine smile. One that she could see in his eyes whenever he glanced at her, and wasn't fading away from embarrassment or any idea of keeping his macho pride in tact. So even though she would never tell him, because really, how childish was even the thought? Taylor would treasure that smile.


	10. Wish

It's Saturday again! And I've actually remembered to post haha. Thank you Pink Wolf Princess, Ghostwriter, and pengiun-STRUT for reviewing! pengiun-STRUT, I'm in the same sinking university boat as you are lol, the only reason I'm able to continuously post is because many of these drabbles were pre-written before school actually started. I've written 2, maybe 3, since I got here. Welp, on with the story!

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She wished she could take it back. Every thought, every word, every glare and rise in the volume of her voice. How had this happened? How could she have betrayed him so cruelly? It didn't make sense. Sure she'd been angry; they both had, but not nearly enough to invoke the rage and accusations she had thrust upon him. Of course he'd yelled back as well, but it wasn't the same. His words were full of hurt and betrayal. He was a wounded animal that had let somebody in too close and now needed to snap back in order to get them away. She was the one he had trusted, and by some sick turn of events, she'd twisted that into something ugly. So now they stood, him glaring and her trying to think of something to say to somehow make this right.

"Get out of my house." He ground out between gritted teeth. His chest heaved with all the effort it took not to yell. Not to cry.

And she couldn't argue; not anymore. So she nodded, already so close to the door all she had to do was reach back to grab the handle. As she turned away, unable to look him in the eye, she wished she knew to how to fix what she had just broken.


	11. Dream

Sorry this is late, but I didn't like anything I had already written, or at least...I didn't want any of those drabbles to be the current chapter. Anyway, thank you once again Ghostwriter and Pink Wolf Princess (there's never too much angst! lol) for the lovely reviews. Enjoy!

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Unlike many of the girls she had grown up with, it had never been Taylor's dream to run off with Mr. Prince Charming. Fact was, she never thought she'd need one. And she still stood adamantly on that position. Lucky for Eric, he was no-where near being a prince…or being charming. He was agreeable at the best of times. So she wasn't too surprised when she started liking him. He had a gruffness that most men tried hiding around her, and a temper to rival her own. Their energy was matched and they were having fun pushing each other. Taylor was a little taken aback when she discovered that she wanted more than a casual fling; she wanted a date. She was shocked further still when that was no longer enough. She wanted to make plans, go on trips; spend time with him for longer then a sparing match or two. And somewhere along the line, Eric's Mr. Bad-Ass-Don't-Mess-With-Me-Or-I'll-Break-Your-Leg-Attitude started turning into Mr. I'll-Keep-My-Temper-In-Check-Because-Yelling-Just-Pisses-Us-Both-Off, and slowly but surely, in bits, pieces, and random moments, Mr. Prince Charming started to peak through.

So now Taylor sat, staring at gold ring on her left hand and trying to figure out just how her non-dream had turned into a reality.

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Please be awesome and feed the poor college student with reviews, they are much appreciated!


	12. Green Eyed Monster

HEY! Time for another chapter, and this one takes place right after Forever Red at a little ranger get-together. Thank you Pink-Wolf Princess for being such an awesome and dedicated reviewer. Your review put a genuine smile on my face. Now...on with the Eric/Taylor loving...

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Although he would deny it until he was blue in the face, Eric Myers was a very jealous man, which made sense given his life circumstances. He was proud of what he had and, this he would admit, was quiet possessive. So it was no surprise that the Green-Eyed Monster reared its head when Taylor's interest was a little too peaked after he introduced her to Andros. The kid had a dead skunk on his head and she seemed fascinated by every word out of his mouth. He took another swig of his beer and glanced around the room of rangers before turning his attention back to the two.

Deciding he'd had enough, he left his drink on the counter before going over and dragging her away in the middle of Andros' sentence.

"Eric, what the hell is wrong with you?" Taylor had nearly dropped her own beer when he'd grabbed her and most definitely did not appreciate being treated like a dog on a leash.

Eric ignored her question and matched it with one of his own. "Are you done?"

Taylor, completely ready for a shouting match, stood taller to try and equal his height. "Done with what! What are you talking about?"

"Are you done flirting with space boy over there?" Eric growled out, his eyes glaring daggers.

"Flirt…WHAT? He's married you idiot!"

"HE'S…wait…" Eric's angry balloon deflated and was replaced with the most confused expression Taylor had ever seen. "He's what?"

Taylor sighed. "He's married to Ashley, the yellow space ranger." She said, indicating to the brunette currently talking to TJ.

Eric tried to gather his senses along with the bit of anger that still remained, because he obviously had SOME ground to stand on. "Then why were you so into him?" He countered.

"He was telling me about the megaship and how to fly it." She explained, her own frustration dissipating into smugness.

Eric stood completely silent for a moment as he took this in. "Well…still…You shouldn't be talking to guys like that." He mumbled, now at a loss and a little embarrassed.

Taylor smirked. "Why? Were you jealous?" She knew she had hit bull's eye when Eric's glare returned. Without another word, he stalked off, wrestling ol' Green Eyes while trying with all his might to not sneak a peak and check if she had gone back over to skunk head.

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Please leave a review if you enjoyed! =]


	13. Worst Case Scinario

Hey everybody, my apologies for the crazy long delay. University life, aka finals, decided to come in and kick my ass. It was weeks of study time, but that is now temporarily over, and so I finally present you with a new chapter. This will be the first of a three-parter, so I hope you enjoy! And once again, thank you Pink Wolf Princess, penguin-STRUT, and Calygirl205 for the reviews!

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It was the worst-case scenario. What every police officer, soldier, Guardian, and their families were warned about when they signed up for the job. The reason their risk pay was so high. But he wasn't on duty when it happened. He wasn't fighting a mutant or commanding the Guardians. He was getting groceries while she took Steven and Aiden to the park. She was sitting on a bench while her boys built a sandcastle when her phone rang. It was Wes and he was panicking, his words jumbled and the sound of an ambulance in the background. But three words rang out clear as day, and it nearly made Taylor drop her phone.

"Eric's been shot." She didn't know what else he had said and barely caught the name of the hospital he was being rushed to before she hung up and grabbed the boys. It took everything in her keep her composure, because through her fear, Taylor knew she couldn't scare her sons.

She left them with a neighbor with promises to pick them up as soon as she could before breaking every speed law in the county on her way to the hospital. Wes was waiting for her, pacing in the waiting room. Eric was in surgery, and they would be informed once he got out.

"What happened?" She asked quietly when Wes guided her to a chair. Taylor so desperately wanted to be angry; to yell at anybody and everybody who couldn't provide her with answers, but she found herself barely managing a whisper through the lump in her throat.

"Witnesses say that a guy was robbing the store. He grabbed somebody and Eric was trying to talk him out of it when someone fainted, knocked over some cans…and the guy freaked out and just…shot."

She had to keep it together. She had to know. "How bad?"

Wes sighed, resting his head in his hands before looking up at Taylor. "One to the chest, two to the abdomen."

Her hands flew to her mouth as she tried and failed to suppress a sob. Wes wrapped his arms around her, knowing it wasn't his arms she wanted there but it was the best he could do for her.

Taylor allowed herself to be held, because in that moment, every worst-case scenario she had ever heard was flashing through her mind and attaching itself to Eric. Right now, while they sat waiting, she needed some help summoning the strength to dispel those images and believe it would all be ok.

If you liked it and can't wait to see what happens next, please leave a review, it would really make my day. And a belated Happy Hanuka!


	14. Take My Hand

So, because I've been so horrendous with updating, I figured I should post one in the middle of the week in an attempt to make up for that, although it seems that my hiatus has lost me some readers. Well...hopefully you'll come back, because these drabbles are feeling cold and lonely without your love. This is a continuation from the preview chapter, 'Worst-Case Scenario'.

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The constant hums and beeps of the machines were the only noise in the room. Sounds of the ventilator pumping air kept time with the rise and fall of the man's chest and heart monitor. Despite visiting hours having ended nearly five hours ago, a single other body took occupancy in a plastic chair, graciously provided by the overnight nurses. She couldn't move; didn't dare to. Her red-rimmed eyes stayed locked on his closed ones. Eyes that had remained shut for just over four days. Her hand held his, muscles not even twitching in the fear that she might miss movement on his part. For the briefest of seconds, she allowed herself to glance at his body; enough time to remind herself that the three bullet holes were real, as his bandaged torso lay exposed.

Following the path back up to eyes, she lingered for a moment on the tube in his mouth; the same tube that was keeping him breathing. She hated that tube and everything it stood for. She wanted the tube out and her husband breathing on his own, telling her how stupid she was to be worrying.

"Steven keeps asking for his Daddy." Taylor whispered, scared her voice would betray her if she spoke any louder. Her free hand moved to rest on Eric's shoulder, then up to his cheek. "I don't know what to tell him, so you better wake up Myers and explain it yourself." Silence greeted her, just as it had every time before. Willing the tears back, because even though nobody was watching, she had to remain strong for the both of them, she moved her hand to join the one still holding his. "Please Eric, come back to us…to me." Taylor's voice cracked as a lone tear raced down her face and blew away the damn, allowing the salty water to pour unchecked. "Just…just take my hand and come back."

Both remained unmoving for the rest of the night.

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Hope you enjoyed, and please, please, pretty please with a grumpy yet cuddly Eric on top, review! It means the world to me, and even if you don't, thank you for reading.


	15. Fight

Sooo...I know its been about forever and a day since I updated, and I'm really sorry, but school and life got in the way. I hope you enjoy this conclusion to the little trilogy, I know its sort of cliche but...oh well, I make no excuses.

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The voice drifted in and out for minutes…days…years…he wasn't sure; couldn't tell. He didn't recognize it, but something told him he should, that this was vital information. He wanted to reach it, take hold of its source and latch on for dear life. It sounded strong at times, like it could take on the world, and other times desperation was its guiding force. It sounded like grief and loss. Those were the times he wanted to fight. He would fight for that voice, because it needed him to, and he needed it. He would fight the darkness that held him down; that kept him from the voice…her voice, his mind finally supplied.

Her hand holding his was the first thing that registered, and he used it as his anchor. He stayed focused on that hand as he fought through to the surface of consciousness. He used it to fight through the pain when that was all he could feel through the fog as too loud beeping and too bright light assaulted his senses. He held on to it, and thanked every god he could think of, that she held firmly back when he couldn't breathe and his eyes darted around in fear until they caught her own frightened yet relieved gaze. It was a moment of comfort until he once again tried to draw breath and found it impossible.

"Eric….Eric…relax…tube…" The words seemed important, so he fought again, this time to focus on them. "There's a tube breathing for you." His eyes found hers once more. "You have to relax and let it." It took a few moments; moments filled with panic that slowly dwindled as he allowed his body to stop fighting and her grip tightened on his hand. He let his eyes drift closed for just a second, and when he reopened them, he was greeted with her smiling face and the realization that they were not alone. A doctor and several nurses stood around his bed, checking the monitors, the chart, and him. He paid them little attention, instead refocusing on her until she gave him a gentle nod that allowed him to rest.

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Welp...TA-DA! Reviews are my sustenance, so please feed the starving author. And feel free to recommend what you want to see done next, it might just inspire a faster update.


	16. Friends

Hey everyone, sorry for the long delay. Here's a little something that I hope you enjoy and makes up for the giant intermission between chapters.

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Wes and annoying had become synonymous in the thoughts that have taken on a never-ending mantra in Eric's head. The man had been pocking, prodding, nudging, hinting, antagonizing, and full on teasing since they'd met the Wild Force rangers, which had been fine…for about ten minutes. And then Eric realized that he had no intention of letting up, because apparently, he and Taylor made "an aaadooorible couple". It took all his strength and determination to not roll his eyes and punch his partner for the simple sake of getting him to _shut up. _Three days into what could only be described as inhumane torture, he finally caved to the constant battery of "just call her already" and did exactly that.

"Alyssa hasn't stopped talking since you left." Was apparently as close a hello as he was going to get.

"Neither has Wes." He greeted in return.

"Maybe we should lock them in a room together."

Eric chuckled at the thought before realizing that was probably the most horrendous idea on the planet. "They'd probably make an insane plan to set us up."

He could practically hear the eye roll of agreement over the phone. "It's true. Why are they doing this?" She sounded fondly exasperated at the antics.

"Because our friends are smarter then us." Eric concluded after several moments of thought.

He was met with exactly fifteen seconds of silence before a sigh of defeat came through followed by a grumbled, "I think your right."


	17. Closer

So...I hope you enjoy...because this is the only thing mt mind would supply whenever I looked at this theme. I also just had shoulder surgery, on my dominant arm no less, so typing is super slow going. Reviews are like pain meds...hint hint...nudge nudge...

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The sound that greeted Eric when he arrived at home was not what he'd been expecting. He thought there would be silence. Maybe his bird would be busy chirping away. Instead, he heard his shower running and what only the tone deaf would describe as singing.

"Coomme Cloooooseerrr! Come CLOSER! And I just can't pull myself away….Naah nah naah nah nah…"

Eric found himself frozen, torn between bursting into hysterical laughter and picking his jaw up off the ground. Taylor had been asleep when he left in the morning, and he figured she would have gone back to her team once she woke up. The belting coming from his bathroom proved that theory incorrect.

After a moment of thought he decided on a course of action, despite the knowledge that what he was about to do was five types of immature. And that Taylor would kill him the moment she found out what he had done. Throwing caution, and logic, to the wind, he honed in on his inner and deeply buried prankster (not so fondly referred to as 'Wes'), swiftly pulled out his cell phone, hit the record button, and moved closer to the shower.


	18. History

Hey! Thanks for all the reviews and well wishes last chapter. In case you're interested (probably not, but oh well) the epic shoulder sling (hopefully. knock on wood) comes off tomorrow! Woohoo! Sorry, very off topic. As for the story, I'm absolutely in love with this chapter, so I hope all of you are too!

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You're scared. No, that's an understatement. You're terrified. But even that somehow doesn't seem to cover it. You know, if you've learned anything over the years and struggles, it's that history repeats itself, and never in a good way. You know you're probably over thinking things. It's only been a month. It's only been six dates. But she's already invaded your thoughts, and a part of you loves it. Thinks you love her. Until her, you didn't think it was possible to care so much.

But then you remember him. You remember the love that he proclaimed after ever fight.

After ever bought of shed tears.

After every bruise and broken bone.

You remember your mother's pleading voice, begging him not to hurt you. You remember him rarely listening. And despite it all, you know that at least at one point, he loved mom just as you love Taylor now. And that terrifies you.

Because you're horrified that history will repeat itself.


	19. Home

Hey everyone! Thank you for the wonderful reviews, and miracle of miracles, it hasn't been forever and a day since my last update, so I hope you enjoy this newest drabble.

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Her definition of home, in less then a year had gone from concrete streets and metal high-rises to jungle greens and un-trodden dirt paths. His definition of home was a little finch in a white cage whose song, no matter how infuriating it was when the first beams of light hit, always made him feel at peace. They soon introduce each other to their respective homes; to mazes of plants and to the restocking of pet food. It doesn't take long for him to realize he can't stand how inexplicably trapped he feels on a floating forest, nor for her to come to the conclusion that despite her claims of independence, a bird alone left her feeling isolated and lonely.

So homes are avoided with lavish excuses about work, meetings, and prior arrangements. Monster attacks are occasionally more convenient than either will admit. It takes a few months for the couple to come to the conclusion that this situation desperately needs sorting out, and that their mutual definition of home would most likely lead to something walking a find line between miracle and disaster.

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Yes? No? Love it? Hated it? Let me know with a review, because as you all know, those things are like crack. XD Feed the addict please!


	20. Change

Like pengiun-STRUT and Pink Wolf Princess pointed out, the last drabble felt incomplete, and the reason for that was it was actually part one of a two-part-er. And so, now I present to you, part two! Enjoy the corniness!

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She had left it right HERE. The damn thing couldn't have just jumped off her coffee table and run away. Taylor glared at the empty spot where she was one hundred and ten percent positive she had left her favorite coffee mug. Come to think of it, she realized quiet a few of her things had slowly been disappearing. A container of floss she had convinced herself had run out and been thrown away. A few shirts and a pair of pants she assumed had simply been left on the Animarium. The duster Max had given her a weird look over because she had apparently thrown it away right in front of him. A few random books had vanished from her shelves, which Wes had assured her she donated to the charity drive he'd held a few weeks ago.

But damn it! She had no memory of any of these things, and there was no way in hell she had thrown away, or broken, or left behind, or any other stupid excuse her friends would come up with, her favorite mug. It had been a gift from her commanding officer on her last day at the air force, the emblem large and proud on the front, always reminding her of all she'd done. All she'd been through.

That mug was the last straw. Only one person had been at her apartment in the last week, and she was sure he had everything to do with her missing possessions. So when Eric walked through the door just in time for dinner with his hands full of Chinese take out, he was greeted by an extremely pissed off girlfriend.

"Where is it?" Anger was rolling off her in waves, and Eric knew he was suddenly treading on very delicate territory.

"Where's what?" He asked cautiously, only half certain of where this was going.

"My floss. My clothes. My duster. My books. And my _coffee mug._" The last two words were ground out, and Eric was fairly certain the only thing keeping him alive at the moment was her desire for answers. So he figured he'd just give them to her.

His lips quirked up into a mix between a mocking smile and a look of sheer delight. "I was wondering when you'd figure it out." Without any further explanation, he turned around and started making his way out of the apartment. "Come on, I'll show you where your stuff is."

Far too angry, and more than a smidge curious, Taylor followed. Her glare remained firmly in place the entire drive, and she was extremely surprised when the car parked in front of what appeared to be a rather nice apartment complex just on the outskirts of Silver Hills and only a few minutes short of Turtle Cove.

"What are we doing here?"

Eric didn't bother answering as he led the way through the gate, up the elevator, and finally, through a door leading into one the apartments. He let her in first, and as Taylor gazed around the living room, she noticed quiet a few of her things she hadn't even realized were gone, accompanied by a majority of the stuff from Eric's home. It took her a few seconds to comprehend exactly what that meant, and as her head swiveled back and forth between her boyfriend and their new, _shared _apartment, she heard him chuckle as he slung an arm over her shoulders.

"I thought it was time for a change."


	21. Another Step

Hey everyone! How have you all been? Thank you again for reviewing, as it honestly makes my day. I'd like to thank penguin-Strut for motivating me to post, since if it wasn't for her updating, I feel I'd be too lazy to. Now, I'd like to apologize in advance for the lack of Taylor/Eric in this chapter, but I fell in love with the kids I created for them, and the hopeless romantic in me couldn't resist putting 3/4 romances into one prompt, so bear with me through this one. Hopefully you like it anyway.

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"That girl is totally out of your league." Emily hummed in all of her fourteen year old wisdom as she walked past Steven towards the kitchen.

Steven, less than five minutes back home from school for break, with an admittedly gorgeous girlfriend in tow, was glaring daggers at his little sister. "Her name is Jessica. And she is not!"

"Yeah she is." Quietly commented Aiden, munching on an apple as he walked in the opposite direction of the youngest Meyers.

Three years, one pointless breakup followed by a heartfelt reunion, five attempts at writing the perfect proposal speech, and a diamond ring later, Taylor and Eric watched their oldest and first child take that final step away from being their baby, and towards his new wife. Emily stood with the bridesmaids, practically vibrating with excitement, as Aiden stood by his brother's side as best man, a shy grin adorning his face as he cast glances at his girlfriend in the audience.

Eric's arm remained firmly wrapped around Taylor throughout most of the day, as each of them took turns pretending that this wasn't potentially the most emotional moment of their lives.

"She's cute." A thirteen year old Emily smiled as Aiden toyed nervously with his glasses, while Mei, the topic of their conversation, did the same on the coach. Emily looked up at her older brother in time to see him try and hide the blush that was steadily taking over his whole face.

"So," Mei finally spoke up from her seat, "are we ever going to start the project?" The simple statement sent Aiden into a flurry of activity just as Steven walked in and draped an arm around his little sister.

"She's got him hooked." Whispered Seven as the two watched their brother be the clumsiest and most awkward romantic to ever exist.

The "I do's" were a long time coming. Six years to be exact, as the two had decided to wait until after graduating to get married. This time, Eric kept his mouth shut as Taylor discreetly whipped away tears when her baby boy, because he's always been mama's little prince, took that same step her oldest had only two years prior.

"They're growing up." Whispered Eric, to which Taylor responded with a hard elbow to his ribs.

"I don't want them to." The sniffle was not lost on him as the handkerchief made its way back to her eyes.

"Who's that? He's hot." Sixteen year old Emily sighed when Aiden came home, his college roommate only a few steps behind him.

Steven's eyes bulged. "No he's not! He's…he's a boy, and you're too young for boys! Not only that, he's a _college _boy. They're the worst kind of boy. Ever!" His arms flailed around, desperately trying to make his point.

She looked up at her oldest brother, eyebrow quirked the same way Mom's did when someone was about to get lectured. "You sound like Dad."

"_That's _you're little sister? She's...she's beautiful." Richard whispered as he dropped his duffle bag.

"You even think about laying a hand on her, and I will smother you in your sleep." Stated Aiden, never pausing from searching through his suitcase for the presents he's brought home.

After bypassing two overprotective brothers, the older of which nearly kicked his head off in a 'friendly sparring match', one scary (terrifying) Marines trained former Power Ranger father, and then asking that same father in what could only be the most nervous yet determined speech for his daughter's hand in married, Emily squealed out an excited 'YES' in the middle of Times Square on their fourth year anniversary.

One year later, Taylor sat beaming as she watched Eric walk their daughter down the aisle, while Eric watched his little girl in her flowing white dress taking one step, then two, after he released her. And he realized as he let go of Emily and she cast a smile in his direction, with just another step away from him and towards her soon-to-be husband, all of his children were now adults; that they were no longer his to guide and protect. As he sat down next to Taylor, he could feel her thinking the same thing, and it took everything in them to not leap up and prevent another, final step.

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Cookies to anyone who bothered doing all the math for each of the kids ages at each step through this chapter.


	22. Match

So...it might or might not have been forever and a day since I last posted. I blame school, because it is a life draining fiend. Despite that, please enjoy what is, although not the longest of chapters, one I still fervently hope you like.

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She's like a match. She has a way of igniting at just the slightest hint of friction; a wrong word at an inopportune moment, or on the opposite end of the emotional spectrum, at the lightest of touches. She'll burn you if you're not careful, with a look or a snarky remark. Her flame is bright, and it can be so illuminating in his darkest times. She is, and pardon the cliché, the light of his life. He needs his match for all that she is; for the burns and the warmth she provides. But she's also fragile, although she'd never show it. Never admit it. Not in the physical sense of course, she could hold her own against nearly any foe. But once she believed in you...put faith in you…she was so easy to break. A simple snap was all it took. A heated accusation muttered at the end of a bad day. But she would remain sturdy. She'd still burn, for one end of a match can still ignite, even when splintered in half. It wasn't until he'd blown away the smoke that he'd see the side of her he'd broken.


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